Ultra-Strong Optomechanics Incorporating the Dynamical Casimir Effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces a superconducting circuit that combines optomechanics and the dynamical Casimir effect, enabling ultra-strong coupling at the single-photon level for advanced quantum experiments.

Contribution

It presents a novel circuit design that achieves ultra-strong optomechanical coupling incorporating the dynamical Casimir effect with feasible experimental parameters.

Findings

Capable of reaching the single-photon ultra-strong coupling regime.

Achieves parametric coupling strength approaching the cavity frequency.

Enables exploration of nonlinear quantum effects at the single-photon level.

Abstract

We propose a superconducting circuit comprising a dc-SQUID with mechanically compliant arm embedded in a coplanar microwave cavity that realizes an optomechanical system with a degenerate or non-degenerate parametric interaction generated via the dynamical Casimir effect. For experimentally feasible parameters, this setup is capable of reaching the single-photon, ultra-strong coupling regime, while simultaneously possessing a parametric coupling strength approaching the renormalized cavity frequency. This opens up the possibility of observing the interplay between these two fundamental nonlinearities at the single-photon level.